Posts Tagged ‘Vaccine’

The situation for MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) in the USA is still not good and getting worse. Unfortunately, two more cases of the deadly virus have been found within the United States. We reported on the first case of MERS here. The good news is that the first person who contracted the virus is no longer sick.

The second case turned up in Florida on May 8th. It is unrelated to the first case and currently being investigated by the CDC (Center For Disease Control). Though, the person who contracted the disease is a healthcare worker and recently returned from an overseas trip.

The third case was found in Illinois. This one is related to the first case of MERS as both men were business associates and had extended contact. What makes the third case more worrisome is that the MERS virus was transmitted on U.S. soil. This is the first known case of MERS to have been transmitted on U.S. soil. Currently, the latest victim has shown only slight signs of sickness and is being closely monitored.

Its official, the deadly virus known as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) has infected someone within the United States. So far the U.S. has only one confirmed case, but the CDC (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization) expect more to follow. The person infected has been hospitalized, quarantined and is currently in good condition.

“We’ve anticipated MERS reaching the US, and we’ve prepared for and are taking swift action,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We’re doing everything possible with hospital, local, and state health officials to find people who may have had contact with this person so they can be evaluated as appropriate. This case reminds us that we are all connected by the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. We can break the chain of transmission in this case through focused efforts here and abroad.”

Worldwide over 260 people in 12 different countries have been infected by MERS. MERS is a type of virus strain not unlike the common cold, but can be far more deadly. It’s in the same family of viruses as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). During the outbreak of SARS in 2002 and 2003 there were 8,273 confirmed cases with 775 resulting in fatalities.

The symptoms of MERS include severe acute respiratory illness, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. On average one out of three MERS cases result in death. To make things worse, officials are not sure how the deadly virus spreads. Researchers believe MERS originated from camels because it has been found in a number of camels within multiple countries. Though, the virus has also been found in a bat. Currently, there is no vaccine or medicine designed to treat MERS. Although, Doctors are able to treat the symptoms.

As the swine flu outbreak strikes the U.S. early and hard, health officials note a worrisome number of child deaths and warn that supplies of vaccine will remain scarce for at least the next couple of weeks.

Delays in producing the vaccine mean 28 million to 30 million doses, at most, will be divided around the country by the end of the month, not the 40 million-plus states had been expecting. The new count from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention means anxiously awaited flu-shot clinics in some parts of the U.S. may have to be postponed.

It also delays efforts to blunt increasing infections. Overall, what CDC calls the 2009 H1N1 flu is causing widespread disease in 41 states, and about 6 percent of all doctor visits are for flu-like illness — levels not normally seen until much later in the fall.

Federal health officials said Friday 11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about half of the child deaths since September have been among teenagers. And overall for the country, deaths from pneumonia and flu-like illnesses have passed what CDC considers an epidemic level.

“These are very sobering statistics,” says the CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat.
This new strain is different from regular winter flu because it strikes the young far more than the old, and child deaths are drawing particular attention. Eighty-six children have died of swine flu in the U.S. since it burst on the scene last spring — 43 of those deaths reported in September and early October alone, said Schuchat.

During the week of September 27-October 3, 2009, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. Flu activity is now widespread in 37 states. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness increased over last week and are higher than expected for this time of year. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are increasing as well, and are higher than expected.

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